Immunotherapy
Virtua medical oncologists offer advanced immunotherapy treatments that use your body's immune system to target and destroy cancer.
If you've been diagnosed with cancer, it's reassuring to know you can access cutting-edge treatment like immunotherapy at Virtua Health in South Jersey. Talk with your doctor to see if immunotherapy is right for you.
How Does Immunotherapy Treat Cancer?
Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses your body's immune system to fight cancer.
Your immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against illness, including cancer. Immunotherapy drugs help your immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively.
There are several types of immunotherapy offered through the Penn Medicine | Virtua Health Cancer Program, including:
- Checkpoint inhibitors: Checkpoint inhibitors are drugs that block proteins on the surface of cancer cells or immune cells that prevent the immune system from attacking cancer cells.
- CAR T-cell therapy: This is an adoptive cell therapy that involves collecting a patient's T-cells (a type of immune cell) and modifying them in a laboratory to recognize and destroy cancer cells.
- Cancer vaccines: Cancer vaccines expose the immune system to cancer-specific antigens (substances that induce an immune response) to help it recognize and attack cancer cells.
Immunotherapy can treat many types of cancer and can be combined with other cancer treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer, you and your oncologist can discuss whether immunotherapy is a good treatment option.
Medical Oncologists at Virtua Health
Meet the team of board-certified medical oncologists who are participating physicians in the Penn Medicine | Virtua Cancer Program. They deliver advanced cancer treatments here in South Jersey.
Immunotherapy at Virtua
At Virtua, we provide a team-based approach to cancer care. Our oncologists work closely with radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, surgeons, and nurses to create a comprehensive treatment plan.
We evaluate your eligibility for immunotherapy based on your cancer type, stage, prior treatments, and overall health. We also test your tumor for specific biomarkers, which may determine how well your cancer will respond to treatment.
If you qualify for immunotherapy, we'll monitor your health closely and help you manage side effects during treatment. Your side effects may vary in severity and include fatigue, fever, and skin reactions.
After you complete treatment, your follow-up care will include regular checkups and testing to monitor your progress and health.
We also collaborate with your primary care physician and other healthcare providers to ensure seamless communication and continuity of care.
Virtua Immunotherapy Locations
The Penn Medicine | Virtua Health Cancer Program offers immunotherapy at locations in Moorestown, Voorhees, and Washington Township.
The Virtua Difference for Cancer Care
An integrated team focused on you
The diagnosis and treatment of cancer requires a coordinated team of experts to collaborate on all aspects of patient care. The Penn Medicine | Virtua Health Cancer Program team includes Penn Medicine and Virtua physicians working together in New Jersey to provide individualized, state-of-the-art treatment and personalized care. Your case is reviewed by a team of oncology doctors, nurses, and other specialists. Working together, they develop a comprehensive plan to treat you, not just your cancer.
An integrated team focused on you
The diagnosis and treatment of cancer requires a coordinated team of experts to collaborate on all aspects of patient care. The Penn Medicine | Virtua Health Cancer Program team includes Penn Medicine and Virtua physicians working together in New Jersey to provide individualized, state-of-the-art treatment and personalized care. Your case is reviewed by a team of oncology doctors, nurses, and other specialists. Working together, they develop a comprehensive plan to treat you, not just your cancer.
Care for the whole person
Cancer affects all aspects of your life. That’s why we take a big-picture approach to your care. At the Penn Medicine | Virtua Health Cancer Program, your care plan includes more than medical or surgical treatments. You also have access to cancer support services like counseling, pain management, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, and specialized care for your sexual well-being. This holistic approach led to our accreditation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
Care for the whole person
Cancer affects all aspects of your life. That’s why we take a big-picture approach to your care. At the Penn Medicine | Virtua Health Cancer Program, your care plan includes more than medical or surgical treatments. You also have access to cancer support services like counseling, pain management, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, and specialized care for your sexual well-being. This holistic approach led to our accreditation by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer.
Support services
At Virtua, you’ll have access to support services to help you through the challenges of cancer treatment. You can connect with a social worker or join a support group. You can get help managing fatigue or get wigs and scarves to cope with hair loss. You also have access to genetic testing, lymphedema therapy and nutritional counseling.
Support services
At Virtua, you’ll have access to support services to help you through the challenges of cancer treatment. You can connect with a social worker or join a support group. You can get help managing fatigue or get wigs and scarves to cope with hair loss. You also have access to genetic testing, lymphedema therapy and nutritional counseling.
Cancer clinical trials
We’re constantly working to improve treatments through clinical trials. When you participate in a trial, you may have access to a promising new therapy before it’s widely available. We lead studies on immunotherapy drugs that attack the cancer cells in your body. And we investigate medications that target specific genetic mutations associated with several cancers.
Cancer clinical trials
We’re constantly working to improve treatments through clinical trials. When you participate in a trial, you may have access to a promising new therapy before it’s widely available. We lead studies on immunotherapy drugs that attack the cancer cells in your body. And we investigate medications that target specific genetic mutations associated with several cancers.